this post was submitted on 31 Mar 2026
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Italy denied U.S. military aircraft headed for the Middle East permission to land at its Sigonella air base in Sicily, according to local reports.

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[–] gukleszl4hs48ughgxhr5xgd@fedia.io 127 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

The decision was reportedly made by Italy's defense minister Guido Crosetto, who was left stranded in the Middle East as the war kicked off. Crosetto said on March 1 that he was being evacuated from Dubai by military aircraft after he had traveled to the region for a family vacation.

lol

[–] neukenindekeuken@sh.itjust.works 46 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Late stage self-awareness, is still self-awareness.

[–] limonfiesta@lemmy.world 41 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

It's the Italian bureaucracy, I think it's safe to assume pettiness is the chief motivating factor here.

I'll take it, don't get me wrong, but let's not get it twisted.

[–] RidderSport@feddit.org 8 points 2 weeks ago

While it is a bit petty, I think it is mostly insulting to the italian defense minister. I mean you find yourself in a hot zone during vacation because your supposed ally couldn't give less of a shit to inform you that it would start a war. So honestly, quite a reasonable crash out

That's a fair call out.

[–] merdaverse@lemmy.zip 23 points 3 weeks ago

It was pretty funny when that happened. We were hoping they'd keep him.

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[–] blindpuskas@piefed.world 115 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

It is good to see that Spain is not the only one taking part and making statements in Europe, regardless of the ruling ideology.

[–] Zwuzelmaus@feddit.org 14 points 3 weeks ago

Maybe that ideology is declining already...

[–] BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.today 75 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (6 children)

True story: When France refused to let us fly through their airspace during the Iraq War, the Congressional Cafeteria changed the name of French Fries to Freedom Fries.

So I guess we'll be seeing Freedom Dressing on the Congressional Cafeteria salad bar.

[–] jenesaisquoi@feddit.org 47 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

So childish. Without France, the USA would not exist.

[–] BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.today 46 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

Americans like to pretend that France owes us for WW2, but if the French Navy hadn't shown up at Yorktown, and blocked the British ships from evacuating their army (again), we'd all be speaking...English...well, you know what I mean.

We 100% owe the founding of our company to France.

[–] HeyThisIsntTheYMCA@lemmy.world 25 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

We 100% owe the founding of our company to France.

don't you dare change that typo

[–] BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.today 16 points 2 weeks ago

Let it ride!

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[–] fibojoly@sh.itjust.works 24 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

You say that like people in the US learnt history in schools...

[–] UltraGiGaGigantic@lemmy.ml 4 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

The cool thing about not learning history is that you learn the present in real time in the worst way possible. Can't miss the lesson then!

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[–] oce@jlai.lu 13 points 2 weeks ago

Remember the resurgence of jokes about France surrendering? Same background.

Btw, it was not only refusing to let them fly, but primarily refusing to join the war while the UK, Australia, Poland, Spain or Italy did join that time.

[–] dubyakay@lemmy.ca 9 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Cesar Salad -> President Salad

Pizza -> American Pie

[–] Omgpwnies@lemmy.world 13 points 2 weeks ago (4 children)

technically Caesar salad is Mexican, it was invented in Tijuana

[–] Denjin@feddit.uk 5 points 2 weeks ago

By famous television dog behaviourist Cesar Milan

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[–] pastermil@sh.itjust.works 6 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I wonder how they're gonna call Italian sausage.

[–] SabinStargem@lemmy.today 4 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

Trumpian Sausage. "Experience the taste of Trump with every bite!"

😱

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[–] iturnedintoanewt@lemmy.world 57 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

AFAIK both Spain and France have completely denied access to their airspace for war related efforts. So flights departing from the UK after a refuel are going to have to do one hell of a detour to get to destination. And now, Italy denies bases use too.

[–] fonix232@fedia.io 32 points 3 weeks ago

Wish Starmer had the balls to do the same...

[–] zaphod@sopuli.xyz 17 points 3 weeks ago

Germany needs to deny them access too, but that probably won't happen.

[–] tempest@lemmy.ca 14 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

Turns out it helps to at least have a coalition of the doesn't give a shit before you start a war you can't win 7000 miles away.

good job, Italy

[–] NoneOfUrBusiness@fedia.io 30 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

What the actual fuck? Why are literal fascists doing anti-imperialism again?

[–] Damage@feddit.it 44 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Because they've recently lost a huge referendum about changes to the Constitution, and every channel on TV is talking about government crises and how the right-wing coalition that's currently governing is falling apart, as the referendum vote was seen as a popular no-confidence vote on the current government.

People are pissed, we had huge protests last autumn about the situation in Gaza, in my city it was the biggest one I've ever been to, so this is a bit of a sensitive topic, an easy way to gain back some poll percentages.

[–] Jay101@lemmy.world 4 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

But I bet people are more pissed about economic and social situation, because all these right and centrist refuse to make regulations and tax the billionaires while the workers pay for everything in the country.

[–] Damage@feddit.it 4 points 2 weeks ago

Idk, the economic and social situations in Italy have always sucked, people are kinda used to "making do", we always joke about "italian solutions".

[–] Melchior@feddit.org 43 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

The decision was made by Crosetto the Italian defense minsiter, who got stuck in Dubai, when the US and Israel attacked. He is also on the moderate wing and from a rich family. Italy is weird that way. As in some members of a party go out a Roman Salute around, while praising Mussolini, and then the next day other members of the party call themself anti fascists and would love a European federation.

[–] reksas@sopuli.xyz 11 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

i wonder if that was the only reason for this decision or if they actually thought things through

[–] Jhex@lemmy.world 4 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

Meloni just lost a very important public consultation about criminal law reform…

[–] GuyIncognito@lemmy.ca 25 points 3 weeks ago

Italy is often a weak link in an axis

[–] clauandr@lemmy.sdf.org 13 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

It's just a formality, they didn't ask so the government uses it as cheap propaganda to gain consensus after the justice referendum debacle. Meanwhile from Aviano jets are regularly taking off.

[–] akmur@lemmy.world 5 points 2 weeks ago

Yea think so too (I'm Italian)

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[–] Exeous@lemmy.world 12 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

They ask permission in fly. Why no ask before leave?

[–] Mangoholic@lemmy.ml 18 points 3 weeks ago

Because their arrogance expected unconditional support.

[–] LemmyBeYourself@lemmy.zip 10 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

what could be the reason? I mean Meloni is the servile ally of Washington

[–] Hiro8811@lemmy.world 22 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

She's Prime Minister not Queen, it's not her decision.

[–] porous_grey_matter@lemmy.ml 15 points 3 weeks ago

Americans minds blown by the thought of not one person having all the power to make any decision unilaterally

[–] SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca 6 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

She's a Fascist. She wants to be Queen.

[–] Hiro8811@lemmy.world 7 points 3 weeks ago

Yeah but she isn't yet which means there's still some part of the system that works

[–] Ooops@feddit.org 11 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

Ask her defense minister that was stranded in the middle East on family vacation and had to be evacuated by military plane, just because the US were to stupid to even inform their allies they would randomly start a war there...

[–] SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca 9 points 3 weeks ago

She doesn't want Sicily to attract long range missiles.

US doesn't give a fuck about making other countries targets.

[–] Gammelfisch@lemmy.world 9 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Bravo Italia! The MAGA fucknuts must be fuming. In other news, I heard the French stopped and will not allow arms shipments across their territory to the lunatics in Israel.

[–] Jay101@lemmy.world 4 points 3 weeks ago

Chad Spain always ahead of time.

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